Last year for Halloween I counted down the scariest moments from my childhood. This year I thought I’d do it for adult films.
As a kid I hated the feeling of being afraid and couldn’t imagine I’d ever be a fan of horror. However, it happened though it’s rare for a film to really honestly scare me anymore. It’s probably because I study film production and can almost always see the strings as it were. So when a film/TV character does scare me it makes me take all the more notice. Again, I’m not restricting myself to just horror films as there have been some truly scary people in other genres. These are what I personally find to be the scariest. Just don’t expect to see things like Freddy or Jason on this list as I didn’t watch those kinds of movies. As with these other articles *SPOILERS*.
Honorable Mentions: Pennywise the Dancing Clown (“IT”)
This is one of those things that I had YEARS of build up before finally seeing it. While it didn’t really scare me, it was like “Jaws” in that I understood why it scared as many people as it did. Clowns have never scared me, I don’t have that particular phobia. I don’t even really get it honestly. Except with certain specific examples and this is one. Tim Curry strikes that great balance of a funny clown and terrifying monster that delights in scaring little children before devouring them. With modern reappraisals of the miniseries it hasn’t exactly stood the test of time. Curry as good old Bob Gray is really what makes that series. Everything else doesn’t come close to him. For that reason I am really looking forward to the upcoming remake. All we have to go off of is a photo for now. In my opinion, it looks like they’re going in the right direction.
5.) Twisty the Clown (“American Horror Story”)
I know I just said in the honorable mentions that clowns don’t scare me, but then this character appeared. “American Horror Story” is a show where each season is a new story with no real connections to others. For season 4 they decided to go with a story about a freak show. So it wasn’t a big issue to jump here at this season. However, I ended up so frustrated that I don’t know if I can continue with the show. First, there’s the fact that Twisty is NOT the central antagonist like the first couple of episodes imply. I realize this was always the plan, but it’s still a gamble. No matter how well you pull it off there are going to be some people who honestly wanted the red herring. However, in this particular case it’s kind of like the Mandarin twist from “Iron Man 3” in that the actual villain is such a let down. I HATE Dandy, I hate everything about him and if I ever do a most annoying characters list rest assured he’ll have a place on it. But let’s not get off topic, in the beginning of the series Twisty was a clown who would kidnap children from their homes. He kills anyone who might stop him while causing the town to suspect the freaks from the local Freak Show. That’s a creepy enough idea, but something really interesting happened when they revealed his backstory… he got scarier. The rule of thumb is that the more you know about a character’s past the less scary it becomes. In general I tend to agree, but when the rule is broken… it’s broken.
Here’s Twisty’s backstory; he was once a well-loved (though slightly mentally challenged) clown in the circus. He loved entertaining the kids and was a huge draw. However, some little people who also worked at the circus were jealous of his fame. They drove him and the children away by spreading rumors that Twisty was molesting the kids. It wasn’t true in the slightest, but you know how rumors like that tend to go down. Soon he was out of a job and place to live. He eventually came up with the idea to create toys as he is first and foremost an entertainer to kids. Unfortunately for him the local shop owner didn’t want to sell them. In a moment of frustration, he ended up scaring the child he tried to convince playing with it. Seeing no way forward he tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head. But ended up just blowing off his lower jaw which is why he wears the mask that covers the lower half of his face. Very sad and tragic, but it’s while he’s telling this story that we learn his motivations. He’s still trying to entertain the kids. He kidnapped them to “save” them from the mean old parents who want to force them to do chores. He wants to make them laugh and keep them safe (by locking them into little cages) and doesn’t get why the children don’t want to stay.
He’s still a fascinating and tragic figure, while still remaining scary as someone who is that removed from reality in their head. He’s obviously extremely dangerous. He dies in probably the first 3rd of the season with Goddamn Dandy taking over as main villain. Creators did you not recognize how rare it is to create a character that works on those levels?! While the show didn’t utilize him like it should have, John Carroll Lynch and the writers created one of the best scary clowns in fiction. Seriously someone remake that season correctly with Twisty front and center as the monster with zero Dandy.
4.) Annie Wilkes (“Misery”)
Another entry, another Stephen King character. He’s the master of horror for a reason. After all of these years it’s probably still the best horror film made from one of his books. Rob Reiner and William Goldman seemed to actually have improved upon the story. For those who don’t know, “Misery” is about a famous romance novels author (Paul Sheldon) who is looking for a change in his writing career. After finishing his latest novel at his getaway in the mountains, he drives back home. Unfortunately it’s during a blizzard and he’s knocked off the road. While surviving the crash, he most certainly would have died from the injuries and being buried in the snow. However he is found and saved by his number one fan, Annie Wilkes. She brings him back to her remote home and as an ex-nurse she knows exactly how to take care of him. Although he’s still confined to a bed from his injuries. Very quickly he begins to realize that she is not all there in the head. Like many great scary performances, what makes this work is that it’s not all just the dark aspects. That would get old fast. It’s seeing that she’s quite good at hiding her craziness… at first. Also, seeing how nice and perky she is especially after she’s just done something terrible.
When Paul first wakes up in the bed and audience first meets Annie, she’s actually fairly charming. Yes we can tell even in these scenes that there’s something sort of sad about her. However, the film takes a major turn after she has finished reading Paul’s latest novel. She learns that he’s killed off the main (and her favorite) character thus ending the series. This happens in the middle of the night, implying that she obsessively read the whole thing til the end. Paul awakens and she’s there standing at the foot of the bed. Now at this point we got a few “previews” of how crazy she can be when she and Paul have a minor argument. In this scene we get the full force of her rage at him for this book. I can remember when I first saw this in high school and after each of these moments I was practically frozen in my bed.
While some may see these moments as a bit over-the-top, they really highlight some of the quieter scenes. For instance, later when she forces him to burn his new manuscript and he does his best to talk her out of it. The way she so casually slashes the gasoline on him while giving her retort. It just works wonders because we’ve seen what this woman does when she’s angry. Believing that she’ll set him on fire is completely possible. Knowing that every happy smile could instantly turn into an excuse to do something like hobbling him just makes you examine every conversation they have. Speaking of the hobbling scene, it’s incredibly well done. Annie not quite being her super nice self and also not quite her screaming monster self either. Yes she’s doing something horrible, but the way she talks to him during the scene and explaining the history in such a calm matter of fact way. The two approaches just work together so naturally. At one point we learn some of her past and it turns out she’s a baby killer. The reason she’s an ex-nurse is because she was killing babies in the hospital. Like Paul when he finds the scrapbook, we’re just left to imagine what her motivations (or lack thereof) for doing such a heinous crime were. The fact she actually doesn’t seem like the kind of person to cross that line makes it so much more insidious. Kathy Bates deserved her Oscar for this role just like the film itself earned all of the praise it continues to get to this day.
Click the next page to see the last 3 entries!
3.) Mr Babadook (“The Babadook”)
Remember how at the start of this article I mentioned that most horror doesn’t bother me now that I’m an adult? Well when it does happen, it makes me take notice and this was one of those cases. I first heard about this movie when William Friedkin twitted about the film saying;
“I’ve never seen a more terrifying film than “The Babadook.” It will scare the hell out of you as it did me.”
Remember this is the director of “The Exorcist,” widely considered the scariest film of all time and HE’S saying this. That’s the sort of thing I tend to take notice of. So, I watched it on Netflix and oh boy did it deliver and then some. What I always say about great horror films is that you know it’s working if you can cut out all of the “horror” aspects of the film but still have it function as a great drama. As scary as Mr Babadook is, the story of this poor woman trying to get over her grief while also having to deal with all this crap in her life is a very compelling story. The more Mr Babadook attacks and tries to influence her, the more sympathy/fear we gain. We want to see this woman get better and we know Mr. Babadook is already quite close to pushing her over the edge.
So, speaking of the monster let’s talk about him. He has such a simple though classic looking design you can put with alongside other classics monsters from film and he’ll fit perfectly in with them. His introduction is amazingly well done. It all begins with them finding an odd pop-up book while looking for something to read for bedtime. What’s really superb about that scene is how it so easily transitions from a simple scene of a mother and son reading to a tenser and tenser scene with each page. It’s so natural that you barely realize the scene has changed until it’s upon you. The whole movie builds its tension so well that it has you reacting to shadows in the corners even though nothing is happening. After I saw this, I didn’t want to go through my house without making sure at least one light was on at all times. Now as a result of this film getting so much praise so fast there is of course the backlash from some. It’s boring, not scary, you barely see the monster, the kid’s annoying, etc. If you honestly feel that way I can understand even if I don’t agree. However, we all know some are just saying those things because they can’t like anything mainstream. Despite still being very new it has already built up a lot of hype. I know I probably hyped it up to some in my inner circle. All I can do is suggest that when you see it to leave all the hype out of your thoughts and go in with an open mind. Because it’s not just a movie trying to scare you, but also tells a very effective story about the nature of grief.
2.) Anton Sugar (“No Country For Old Men”)
This may not be a character from a horror flick, but he’s scarier than most monsters. An extremely well-deserved Oscar for actor Javier Bardem. “No Country For Old Men” is a Coen Bros. film and one of their best. It’s about a Texas man named Llewelyn Moss who while hunting comes upon a drug deal gone wrong. The dead bodies are all strewed across the ground. He makes his way through the scene before finding a suitcase of money. Needing the cash he decides to take it, but is compelled to go back. That night he’s noticed and soon tracked by a hitman hired to recover the money. And the rest of the film is just about Moss trying to get away from Sugar with the money in tow. More so than the “Cape Fear” remake, the feeling of an unrelenting force coming after you is perfectly captured. No matter what, this guy just keeps coming. Not only does he always seem able to find Moss wherever he goes, but also seems to anticipate every move. When Moss hides the money inside of a vent he figures that out immediately. It all sends the message that you cannot get away. You will never be safe from this man.
I can vividly remember when my dad took me to see this in theaters. After his introductory scene EVERY time he came on-screen the theater got completely silent. NOBODY would dare break that silence. The scariest damn moment would have to be the infamous coin toss scene. As with so many frightening scenes it begins in an innocent enough place with Anton at a convenient store. The store keeper is making friendly conversation asking “where ya from?,” “where ya headed?” Innocuous stuff like that. He is completely unaware that he is ringing up evil. What’s worse is that he’s annoying said evil. Then Anton flips a coin and sternly tells the store keeper to “call it.” Remember that word “sternly,” again to compare this to “Cape Fear.” While I love Robert De Niro’s performance, I think a true test of strength is not who can yell the loudest. When someone is really sure of themselves and their abilities they don’t need to raise their voice; they don’t need to make overt threats. Just demanding someone “call it” is enough. At this point we don’t realize that this is a quirk of his; letting the coin decide people’s fate. But we instantly understand that he will go through with whatever side comes up. Anyone who cannot only do these unspeakable acts, but let the decision be made in such a detached way is just horrifying. Hell I’m honestly not even sure what is going through his head. It’s like interacting with a wild animal in how counter it is to the way the rest of us humans think.
1.) Zelda (“Pet Sematary”)
Do you have any idea how hard it is to find, check, and upload an image when you can’t stand to look at it for more than few seconds without cringing?! After all these years, this still messes me up and I can’t stand even thinking about this chick. “Pet Sematary” is wildly considered to be Stephen King’s most disturbing story which is saying a lot. It’s said that upon finishing the novel he was so disturbed by what he just wrote he threw it in the trash. So we have his wife to thank for convincing him to keep it. What was so dark? The story is about a father whose toddler named Gage is killed in a car accident. He uses a nearby Indian burial ground that the neighbor showed him could bring back pets when buried in it. Trying that with his son he does return from the grave. However the father quickly learns the neighbor’s old saying that “Sometimes death is better” is very true. So as you can tell from that very simplified description of the story, it’s a dark tale.
Although it’s the side story that truly gets under my skin. Earlier in the film the mother tells the story of why she’s so creeped out about the concept of death. It turns out she had an older sister named Zelda who had spinal meningitis and was kept in her room like “a dirty secret.” “Rachel!” she would call out in a crackly voice when it was time to feed her. One night when the parents were out on the town they left her alone to watch over Zelda. She went to the room to check on her after hearing some odd noises. Turns out she was choking and in a moment of fear she ran out of the room leaving Zelda to choke and die. What’s “great” about this scene is how it’s basically like a perfectly told scary story told around the campfire. Now from the image above you can tell she looks… unnatural. And I realize that it’s not the character’s fault. Under most circumstances she would be a very sympathetic character and it bothers me that I’m as bothered as I am from what she looks like. However, it’s quite clear the years of neglect and pain have warped her mind. Again I can’t blame her for that, but the idea that she’d view the world in this way. Now how do I know she thinks this way? I didn’t read the book (I have no idea if it backs me up on this) but there is the rest of the film. Let me explain.
It all gets creepier when you consider it may not just be a flashback character, but a very real presence in the film proper. The film seems to indicate (to me, I have no idea if the book also does) that it is Zelda who is inside of the reanimated Gage. The story is following the idea that our bodies are just temples for the soul. When we die and the soul departs for the afterlife the body is empty. If it is brought back to life (by an Indian burial ground) what brings it back to life is a new (evil) spirit that has taken up residence in the body. There is a scene of Rachel returning home and seeing the vision of Zelda telling her she’s going to twist her spine. Earlier in the background of another scene we can see a portrait of Zelda as a toddler. Then when we cut back to the real room with Gage standing there he’s in almost the same outfit and pose as the portrait. To me that definitely says it is Zelda’s vengeful spirit that’s come back in Gage which just messes me up worse almost anything else. Also, you’re aware that Stephen King’s novels are connected? Most of them take place in the same universe. In “The Green Mile” when the warden’s wife is sick she almost looks like an early version of Zelda. Again, I have no idea if this is a coincidence or something specified in the books but it’s an interesting connection I noticed.
So why did I put this at number one? Well first remember these lists are opinion based they aren’t meant to be representative of what the general consensus thinks is scary. I can only write about what I know. As I was constructing this article and had another choice for what I thought would be number one, another entry emerged. I think I originally was going to put this at a 3 because I can understand that not everyone would be affected by this. However, as I began this entry I found just getting a hold of the images was ridiculously difficult as the level of fear from this is still very strong. Even though I first saw this back in early high school, it still has that power over me. All of these other entries scared me the first time I watched it but when I re-watch them now they don’t quite have the same impact on me. I can get through them whereas when the Zelda scene comes on I still get very tense and if I can I prefer to look away, no joke. Thinking about this is even stresses me out.
So once again thanks for joining me for this year’s Halloween articles. I plan to do this again next year and if you have a specific idea or subject you’d like me to take a look at then mention it in the comments and I’ll look into it.